Become a Member

SIFFCast: The SIFF VR Zone

with Marco Collins, Kim Voynar, and Nathaniel Pinzon.

Mellow Mud

Loading the player ...

Latvia|2016|105 minutes|Renārs Vimba

After the death of her grandmother, a fiercely independent teen in rural Latvia is thrust into adulthood, and must shoulder raising her younger brother, avoiding a nosy social worker, and navigating a relationship with her English teacher, all in hopes of finding her estranged mother.

"Harsh circumstances force a resourceful and determined Latvian lass to mature beyond her years in this compelling, bittersweet coming-of-ager."—Alissa Simon, Variety

Friday, June 2, 2017

With her father deceased, her mother having abandoned her and her brother for a new life in London, and her grandmother threatening to sell their house, teenage Raya feels she has no one to depend on but herself. When she and her younger brother Robis return from school one day to find their grandmother dead, they decide to bury the body and take control of the household. Embracing her new independence, Raya is determined to win her high school's English language competition so she can travel to London and confront her estranged mother. Her dreams of freedom and indulgence quickly devolve into the harsh reality of responsibility and consequence when the tasks of avoiding a nosy social worker, taking care of the increasingly rebellious Robis, and beginning a lascivious relationship with her English teacher all come to a tipping point. In this understated Latvian drama, first-time director Rēnars Vimba's sparse script and muted colors do well to emphasize the despondency of Raya's situation, and the naturalistic acting ability of Elīna Vaska make her a fierce protagonist whom audiences constantly root for in the face of her untimely adulthood.

Director Biography

Rēnars Vimba studied film directing and cinematography at the Latvian Academy of Culture in Riga and the Baltic Film and Media School in Tallinn. From his student work to his awarded short films he has been showing a knack for storytelling and bringing characters to life. His artistic energy and refined sense of imagery enhances his work with a special feel. His short films "Mols" (Breakwater, 2009) and "Tetis Lelle" (Daddy Doll, 2008) have travelled around Europe, having been selected by Cottbus IFF, Festival Tous Courts, Aix-En-Provence, Cao Amarelo, Batumi International ArtHouse FF, International Short FF Drama and many others. His short documentaries "Man Patik Kas Rita Bus" (I Like What's Gonna Be Tomorrow, 2007) and "Allē" (2006) were selected by Con-Can Movie Festival, Munich IFF, Illumenation IFF, Filofest and others. Mellow Mud is Vimba's first feature film.

SIFF's mission is to create experiences that bring people together to discover extraordinary films from around the world. It is through the art of cinema that we foster a community that is more informed, aware, and alive.